I have been hunting for new (used) speakers. I have a couple threads going on Audiogon and have gotten some good replies. Thought I would get some other head opinions. I plan to spend $1000 or under for used speakers to match with a Sunfire 300x2 amp and a Sunfire Theatre Grand II pre, MIT XLR's, Tara Labs speaker wire and Tara Labs AC cord. . This is only for two channel setup no HT. Several high recomendations for Vandersteen 2CE Signature, Ohm Walsh amongst many others. So what speakers do you enjoy listening to the Grateful Dead, Phish, SCI and WSP on? Thanks!!

I use ProAc Studio 100s powered by a Mac 2105 for my home studio and it sounds amazing. New, they are above your budget, but they've gone for under budget on ebay if you are patient. It's what Joe Gastwirt used to master a lot of GD releases. My living room has Avalon NP2s, which I found for about $700. Great sounding speakers. I power them with a pair of Mac MC30s. Prior to them I had some B&W DM330s that I got for $25 (one had a blown tweet, which was easy to replace). They are surprisingly good for the money.

Grant wrote:They polarise people, but I like NS10s. I like to put my music to the test

Yup. I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum with these. I used them for years in recording studios and always hated them. If you like to feel Phil, they are not the speaker for you. Interestingly, the ProAcs are marketed as a replacement for the NS10s (VintageKing Audio has a trade in program) but I don't hear much similarity.

But, whatever makes you happy. Speakers are highly personal, so if NS10s are your frame of reference, everything else might sound weird. I do like acoustic suspension speakers, so I'll give them that, but in no way are they an attempt at a flat, hifi representation of the audio.

I'll let you do the google search to see the debate as it rages online as it has for decades (Here's one critique to get you started: http://liquidtheater.com/editorial_56.html). Basically, Bose derives more sales from marketing than they do investment in quality materials or designs. The quality you get from their products is very overpriced. In many cases, it simply sounds bad (I love this description of a 2.1 system: "sounded like a mosquito squad accompanying a hippopotamus tap-dancing in an attic"). Given that this is a forum dedicated to the Grateful Dead and they have had a passion for good sound since the beginning, in fact, practically bankrupting themselves in that endeavor, I think we owe it to ourselves to have a more than casual interest in the quality of sound reproduction in which we invest. I suppose Bose is fine for audio products that you don't really intend on listening to, such as background music in an office, but in just about every case, there will be a better quality alternative that will cost less. Very few audio products that are as financially successful have generated as much controversy. In this case, controversy does not mean that they are misunderstood rebels. I rate them about 2 steps higher than white van scam speakers.

They've had a couple of pro audio speaker products in the past that some have used with success, but they are very different from the consumer products and at this point in time are quite antiquated.